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Talk:Photon torpedo
Though fascinating, and I'm sure all true, I would like to know how much of this info is actually canon. That which is should be referenced. -- Redge 16:57, 24 Jul 2004 (CEST) Ah, my apologies. The information comes from the Technical Manuals, which as we all know can only claim to be semi-canon. I fear I would have a hard time finding concrete on-screen examples of many of the things stated in the article. Kv1at3485 09:39, 28 Jul 2004 (EST) Well, in that case I suggest we find all info we can on-screen, and perhaps someday background info like this can also be listed on MA. Untill then, we'll need to see how much of this info we can keep. -- Redge 01:16, 29 Jul 2004 (CEST) With respect, I re-included my info about photon torpedoes in TOS in the article because it is the only canon info about photon torpedoes in the entire article. All the rest is from tech manuals or fanon, but every word of what I say can be verified by the episodes. --Atrahasis 06:01, 12 Sep 2005 (UTC) ---- It is a given fact that when a particle of matter contacts a particle of anti-matter, the result is a magnificant release of energy. Many species realized that not only would this reaction provide a suitable power source for their starships, but that it would also make a powerful weapon. The result is the photon torpedo, essentially a delivery device for a matter/anti-matter warhead (colloquilly referred to as the 'photon warhead', and hence resulting in the name 'photon torpedo'.) As specifics vary with each design and designer, the following should be considered only as a general outline. Warhead The photon warhead is designed to maximize the energy released from the reactants in the smallest possible amount of time. The simplest measurement of this is the rate of particle annihilation. The higher the rate, the more energy is released per unit time. To achieve a desirable rate of particle annihilation, it is necessary to maximize the surface area over which the reactants can interact. The main aspect of the development of the photon warhead was the struggle to increase the reaction surface area. In order to begin fielding this type of ordnance, many species devised the simplest warhead design possible as a start point. These designs usually had the reactants start completely seperated, being forced together only at the moment of detonation. Needless to say, the rate of particle annihilation was low, and yields were small compared to later designs. However, at the time the photon warhead made the photon torpedo the most destructive weapon that could be carried in numbers by starships of many space-faring species. Development continued and made the warhead even more sophisticated. Methods were introduced that began to have the reactants already mixed together, which made the inefficient method of ramming the reactants together at the last moment obsolete. As the degree of premixing increased, the yields of warheads correspondingly grew as well. All current warhead designs utilize this principle, and for some, it has come to a point where the yields of photon warheads can no longer be increased by this method. Torpedo Operations As a safety precaution, torpedoes are not normally stored with warhead reactants loaded. Instead, reactants are fed into the warhead and mixed prior to deployment from a launch mechanism. This launch mechanism usually takes the form of a magnetic or gas compression launcher. The launcher's main function is to impart a substancial speed boost to the torpedo. A launcher is not necessary for torpedo deployment as a torpedo can use its own propulsion unit to deploy from a zero-velocity position. However, as many torpedo designs use the warhead reactants as fuel, a non-assisted launch will mean that the energy potencial of the warhead will be reduced by the time the weapon impacts the target. Depending on the yield of the warhead, a starship launching a torpedo may be required to increase the distance between itself and the target as the detonation of the photon warhead could inflict damage upon that starship, not only on the target. Despite many designs being variable-yield capable, the photon torpedo is mainly a medium- to long-range weapon. It can be argued that a photon torpedo could be set for a minimum yield for close-combat purposes, but this would be an inefficient use of such a weapon.